Shortest leetcode path to success

New
sdblind

New

sdblind
Aug 25, 2018 29 Comments

I was told I will face 2 medium leetcode questions at phone interview. I also want ti give myself 4 weeks to study. First time looking at leetcode, so there is a lot to cover. How can I maximize my chances. I see 4 possibilities.
1. Solve easy questions on my own to build true understanding.
2. Memorize solutions to easy questions for shallow understanding.
3. Memorize solutions to medium questions for shallow understanding.
4. Solve medium questions on my own to build true understanding.

I don't think adding a mix of easy and medium makes sense. Of course i know none of it may matter much as the chances don't improve much given the time constraints. But humor me even if the chances only improve by .00000002 percent.

After you got that answer in your head, does it change if I said 8 weeks?

On a different topic, what are DP questions? I've seen the term mentioned here.

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TOP 29 Comments
  • Amazon
    gKoV81

    Go to company page Amazon

    gKoV81
    Dp is double penetration. It’s when you have to solve the problem from two approaches at the same time
    Aug 25, 2018 1
    • New
      sdblind

      New

      sdblind
      OP
      I didn't get it for a minute lol.
      Aug 25, 2018
  • New / Eng
    xoxoyo

    New Eng

    xoxoyo
    I tried solving leetcode problems before learning all the tools and it didn’t work. This time around, I’m going back and learning algorithms from square 1. Is going through 20 videos and struggling w about 20 dp problems. Watching different people solve the same problem reinforces core concepts
    Aug 25, 2018 3
    • New / Eng
      xoxoyo

      New Eng

      xoxoyo
      MIT open course videos on algorithms
      Aug 25, 2018
    • New / Eng
      xoxoyo

      New Eng

      xoxoyo
      YouTube mostly.
      Aug 25, 2018
  • Read a book on data structures and algorithms. Each time you learn a new concept take leetcode easy questions and maybe a medium to cap it off on that concept to reinforce. When you finish the basic concepts and learn problem solving move on to mostly mediums and some hards.
    Remember why you are doing this, which is to be proficient in the concepts and know when they are appropriate as well how to actually program them. Don’t waste time trying to memorize the problems.
    Aug 25, 2018 0
  • New / Eng
    xoxoyo

    New Eng

    xoxoyo
    Even my own startup asked a dp problem. Look up the house robbers problem
    Aug 25, 2018 0
  • New / Eng
    xoxoyo

    New Eng

    xoxoyo
    I realize the solving leetcode problems not really helpful until you have all the tools in your toolbox. I’m learning the tools now, and whenever I come across a problem, I look back at the toolbox and see what technique I can apply
    Aug 25, 2018 2
    • New
      sdblind

      New

      sdblind
      OP
      I did that in the past before I knew about leetcode. Built a list, stack, heap,.. etc from scratch. Wrote functions for common search algorithms. But to tell you the truth, I don't know if much of that stuck in my head good enough to do it in a 20 minute question. I think because I was looking at building the tool itself, rather than using it in a real world problem.
      So I am slightly hopeful that solving the questions on leetcode is helpful in that it provides a concrete example of tool usage. Of course you have to recognize the tools you are using for each problem and be able to recognize when another problem calls for the same tool. That's the part i'm stuck on, so maybe leetcode is not the best tool for that.
      Aug 25, 2018
    • New / Eng
      xoxoyo

      New Eng

      xoxoyo
      I’m solving real problems actually. By tools I mean binary search, dp, bfs, etc. Knowing these tools are only the first step. The second is getting practice w real problems and see which tool you can apply for each problem. It’s just how I’m trying to compartmentalize in my head
      Aug 25, 2018